Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(95)

me, they’d think I was making him up.

Steam billows out as I open the door and walk back into the bedroom, scrubbing a towel through my damp hair.

“Come here, baby,” he says to me, sitting in the overstuffed chair in the corner.

“Thank you.” I smile as I saunter to him, motioning to my new outfit.

“You’re very welcome, beautiful. They look lovely.”

I climb onto his lap and wait impatiently for...I don’t know.

“Promise me you’ll let me finish before you react, and that you will try to remember, no matter your initial instinct, that

anything I ever do is because I love you. I want to take care of you, in every single way. I want to be the one you come to when

you need or want something, when you’re hurt, sad, scared...anything. Even if it’s me that pisses you off, I want it to be me you

scream at about it.” He reaches behind the chair and pulls out a folder; not a present. “Promise me,” he reiterates.

“You’re scaring me,” I whisper.

“Laney, you are my forever, and we can’t move forward until we clear up the past. I would never put you in a bad spot, I of

course checked things out first, and feel sure this is something you need to know. I will help you every single step of the way,

baby.” He hands me the folder and moves his arms tightly around my waist.

I open it, hands trembling with the anticipation of the unknown. The first thing that catches my eye is a picture of my mother; I’

d know her anywhere. I quickly slam the folder shut and jerk my eyes to Dane. “What is this?!”

“It’s your mom, Laney. It’s important that you know; I didn’t just set out to find your mom, get in your business. It started

as my desire to keep you safe and it led here,” he grabs my hand and squeezes, his eyes full of doubt. “You told me about the

stalker and it worried me, badly. You got flowers on your birthday—”

“Those were from Evan,” I interrupt, agitation in my voice.

“You got another delivery, while you were out. I had Tate open the card, I admit it, and I didn’t like the message. So,” he lets

out a shaky breath, “I did some digging. Sometimes money comes in handy, like when you’re trying to track down a stalker. I only

did it to keep you safe, Laney, I swear to you. I had only the best intentions.”

I believe him, but I still feel somewhat violated. “You and Tate had no right to open the card,” I huff.

“You’re absolutely right, and for that you should probably be angry, but I’m not sorry I did.”

No response jumps off my tongue, so I simply give him the “go on” big eyes.

“Your stalker is not a stalker at all,” he pauses, taking both my hands in his and rubbing my wrists with his thumbs, “it’s

your mother. You told me the gifts and things popped up sporadically, yes?” I nod, the word mother still knocking around in my

head. “I’m guessing at big moments for you; moments a mother would also think were a big deal.”

Holidays, birthdays, prom, starting college...yes, contact was almost always on a milestone. “She kept up with you, Laney. She’s

watched you grow up as much as possible, from afar.”

Barely able to comprehend, I stand and begin to pace the room. So many questions and different emotions are flowing through me

right now that I can’t organize my thoughts. I concentrate on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth and raise my

hands behind my head.

“Laney, your mom, she’s not evil, nor does she not love you, she’s just not well. I’m not supposed to know this, but I had to

find out, for you.” He’s moved to me now, hands bracing my shoulders. “She’s schizophrenic, Laney.”

“What? I mean, how?” I’m sputtering incoherently, more thinking out loud than actually asking a question.

“Your mom lives in a facility where they make sure she eats, bathes, and takes her medicine. Most days she doesn’t comprehend

reality, Laney. She left to protect you, to give you a normal life. But in moments of clarity, she always made sure you got

something on your big moments.” He pulls me into a hug, which for a moment offers comfort, but I quickly pull back, still reeling

from so many conflicting emotions. “As far as I can tell, she has a cousin who visits her regularly and must have helped her with

the execution. That, to me, says she loves you. When she’s thinking clearly, she’s thinking of you.” He falls silent now and

just watches me, his eyes following my path back and forth across the floor.

“Why would my dad not have told me this?” How can they just lock her up, or whatever, and not tell her family? She could have

been dead for all we knew!” The dam I’ve built for years breaks all at once, and my body shakes with the sobs. Images of my

mother, alone and afraid, tucked away in some padded room, replace all the ones I’d created to protect myself; her happy with a

new family, just not wanting me.

“I’m sure your dad doesn’t know. Like you, he assumes she just left. Like you, he’s dealt with the pain all this time of

thinking she didn’t want him, either. Like I said, it took some doing for me to find her.”